THE MYSTERIES OF REDEMPTION

"Of which salvation the prophets enquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto us by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into" -- I Peter 1:10-12.

     The all-consuming theme of prophecy, from Genesis to Malachi, from the garden to the end of Old Testament times, was "the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow." He was prefigured in the beast slain to clothe our sinful first parents, in the sacrifice of Abel, in the ark of Noah in the offering up of Isaac, in the scarlet thread of Rahab, in the altar, the ark of the covenant, the slain beasts and birds, and even in the lives of such men as Moses, Joshua, Samson, and David.

     What a glorious privilege had fallen to the lot of our fisherman disciple to stand in the midst of the wondering throng at Pentecost and, for the first time, to proclaim to them, in no uncertain language, that the man they had crucified was the Messiah, the Prophet, the Promised of the Father. And how good of the Lord to choose Peter for the spokesman! Poor Peter's heart was crushed. He had denied his Lord. He had denied him with an oath. Bitter tears had been wrung from his eyes. But now he is given the opportunity to in some sense atone for his failure, and, Peter-like, he is not slow in improving the occasion. Standing boldly before the very people, who had heard his denial, he proclaimed that He whom they had crucified was the Christ.

     Did you ever say something to your best friend that you were sure had caused his heart to bleed; and did you ever note the thrill of joy when in some way you were permitted to set the matter right, or to prove by some self-denial the kindly feelings of your heart? If so, yon can appreciate the feelings of Peter on this memorable day. Nothing but blood can wash away sin, but loyalty satisfies and soothes an injured conscience.

     The prophets foresaw that a great blessing was kept in store for a future generation. They saw that this blessing bad to do with salvation and the grace of God. They bad realized in their own hearts enough of this grace to cause them to desire a deeper view.

     As a consequence they searched diligently to find out what it was to be, when it was to be given, and the manner of times in which it should come. The figure is of a person examining closely to catch the most minute details, bringing the page nearer the eyes, stooping down as in examining ores in which precious metals are contained. This close application to the task of searching the secrets of the Almighty is no doubt represented in the stooping, inquiring attitude of the cherubim over the mercy seat. "Angels desire to look into" the secrets of God's grace and mercy to wayward men.

     Oh, the rich blessings, the marvelous revelations that are forfeited by the carelessness of our search. Look closer. Stoop down. Break through any indifference that may remain, and come boldly to a throne of grace, and you shall obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need. There is no wall between, the way into the holiest is open to all.

     While the prophets were not rewarded with a full vision of these blessings, yet they obtained enough of the "earnest" to keep them longing and wondering. They knew God, they knew the power of grace, they knew the blessings of grace; but they were convinced that they had not received of the fullness as it should be given to future generations.

     It is useless to attempt to draw the distinction in the religious experiences of the two dispensations, suffice to know that grace in its dispensational fullness was for Enoch, for Noah, for Abraham, for David, for the prophets and for John the Baptist as well as for Peter, James and John.

     To shut out everyone from the blessings of the redemption of Christ until this redemption should be consummated would be to cast a suspicion upon Christ by the covert insinuation that there was in the mind of the Father A lingering doubt as to the sufficiency of His Son to meet the issue and bring salvation.

     Oh, the glory of a vision of Christ! Back through the ages my soul peers, it looks closely, it stoops down, it searches. Great men are there. Nebuchadnezzar is there in his Babylonian glory; Alexander weeping for another world to conquer; Caesar, statesman, author, soldier, at the head of the Roman legions; Constantine marching to victory under the Christian labarum; Polycarp, the aged, dying for the man he could not deny; Luther putting to flight the minions of Romanism; John Wesley with his Spirit-filled followers. Some of the persons I see are beautiful, some are repulsive. But amid the throng there shines the face of One whose countenance is more marred than any seen; He hangs between the heavens and the earth, bleeding, groaning, dying. With the prophet I exclaim, "Who is this?" The answer returns, "This is the Man who died for thee." Thank God for a mother, a Sunday-school teacher, a preacher, a Bible which told me the old, old story, which so impressed it on the scrolls of my childish mind that its memory shall never be effaced. He died that I might live.

     If such a vision, looking backwards, is glorious, why should not a forward vision be glorious? When Abraham saw the day of the Son of Man, he became the "friend of God": when Moses got a vision of the Prophet like unto himself, he forsook, the throne, the glories, the riches of Egypt, esteeming even the reproach of Christ much to be preferred. When David's harp learned to sound the praises of the Lord's Anointed, he could say, "We will rejoice in Thy salvation, and in the name of God we will set up our banners." When Isaiah saw the vision he said, "He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon Him; and with His stripes we are healed." Read the whole wonderful story in the fifty-third chapter of Isaiah. He was despised, He sorrowed, He was rejected, He was afflicted, He travailed, He died.

     "Stay, let me weep while you whisper,

     'Love paid the ransom for me.'"

     Such was the "forward" vision the prophet caught of Him who spoke in righteousness, the Mighty to save.

     But these are not all who desire to fathom the mysteries of redemption. As we have seen, the cherubim overshadowing the mercy seat are intently looking that they may understand the mercy and grace of God. Although they cannot fathom yet they believe and are glad to do all they can to further the plan, even now angels are hovering around to carry back to heaven the tidings of a prodigal's return, ministering spirits linger with every saint of God to assist him in his journey to the skies, and if we are true to the end, on pinions that outfly the lightnings, they will carry us to a land of rest.

     But angels can never tell the mysteries of redemption, they can never know the sweet pulsations of that joy divine which a prodigal feels when he first reaches home. There is much meaning in the expression we so often hear, "I would sooner be a redeemed soul than an archangel."

     Some spend their lives bewailing their past sins. Why should this be so? True,, my sins made the blood of Christ a necessity, but, while sin is an awful thing, yet, because of sin, I have a part in Jesus Christ. Without blood I could never be redeemed, but had I never sinned I could have no part in the Savior. I did bewail my sins once, for, unconfessed and unforsaken, they separated me from God, but when the blood reached my soul I ceased to mourn, and the joy of the Lord wipes out the memories and sorrows of the past. Thank God!

     Again, what a glorious privilege to preach the gospel "with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven! The morning stars sang together and all the sons of God shouted for joy "when God laid the foundations of the earth." When Zerubbabel laid the foundations of the second temple, the people wept and shouted until the noise of the weeping could not be distinguished from the noise of the shouting.

     But there is a greater privilege. God is hewing out of the granite quarries of this world living stones with which to build an habitation of God through the Spirit. The building is laid on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, and He shall bring forth the headstone thereof (Jesus Christ) with shoutings, crying, "Grace, grace unto it." He gives me the opportunity to work in His quarries, to fit stones for their place in the temple. He allows me to work with Him for the salvation of a lost world!